May’s Wood Planting

It was a special day for Dr Brian May, and also for the many Bere Regis villagers that turned out for the inaugural tree planting day at his 157 acre site that he was planning to turn back to ancient woodland.

It was something Brian had dreamed of for years, and now he was eventually seeing it all happen, with the help of family’s and local residents, who each took saplings to plant, many of them in memory of loved ones.

Adults and children alike were involved in this historical event, including all the 94 of the 4-10 year pupils from Bere Regis Community school, who recorded The New Woodland song with the ladies from the Pop-In choir.  They did a tremendous job performing the song live for Brian to open the event, with musicians Pip Evans, Callum Gibson, David George, Harry Butterfield and Ryan Fellows.

Over the following months 100,000 saplings were planted.

Dr May planted the first oak and had this to say about the day.

“It was truly one of the most memorable and different days of my life.” Dr Brian May

“I hope we get this right. My feeling, and my hope, is that in 100 years time people will be sitting around in Bere Regis discussing this project and saying – “Our grandparents did the right thing for us!”  Dr Brian May